Maareesan movie review: Vadivelu and Fahadh Faasil power through a slow-burn thriller that is well-thought out despite some unevenness

Maareesan is a slow-burn thriller powered by strong performances from Vadivelu and Fahadh Faasil. Though uneven in pace, it charms with its layered narrative, subtle commentary, and fresh treatment

Maareesan review

Maareesan movie plot:

Dhayalan (Fahadh Faasil), a thief is out from jail and goes back to his routine. It is at one point when he breaks open into a house to steal, he stumbles upon Velayudham Pillai (Vadivelu) who says he is handcuffed to the window because of his Alzheimer’s disease. Under the pretence of dropping him at Tirunelveli, Dhayalan plans to loot Velayudham’s money by getting him to spell out his ATM pin. But does he succeed or is he getting charmed into something more serious?

Maareesan movie review:

At the very beginning, we see a cop setting up a rattrap and dunking it inside water to kill the creature. Convinced that the rodent is no longer alive, the man takes the trap out of the water and open the door, only for the rat run back to his life. Now, let’s take the example of Maareesan, a character from the Hindu mythology Ramayana in which the shape-shifting character converts into a golden deer to charm the men in the story, so Sita can cross the lakshmana rekha. In both the instances, be it the rodent or the mythological character, to play the fool or object of charm, may be considered cheating and the moralities are questioned. But where do moralities lay when for what it is questioned has a larger picture. Maareesan, the film too threads on this path.

Also read: Maareesan 2025: Release date, cast, crew, trailer, plot and everything you need to know about Fahadh Faasil and Vadivelu’s film

A combination of road trip drama, and slow-burn thriller, Maareesan falls under the genre of two men, two stories, two path but one trip genre. Tamil cinema’s previous takes on such a one-liner have worked wonders, and Maareesan too nearly makes it, even as flaws trip its path. A little of Dhayalan is what we get to know at the beginning, that he is a thief who is frivolous. He is someone who firmly believes that his thievery is not an act of sin, but that of teaching responsibility to people for being cautious not to get cheated again. Vadivelu’s Velayudham Pillai is a man of mystery, who for most is innocent Alzheimer’s patient looking for help even as he is loaded with cash.

The treatment for the first half is that of a road trip, and we see the two leads sharing an equation much different from their last outing in Maamannan. There is a lot of pitstops and it can get a tad bit of an overload to keep the track of route. Maareesan becomes one of those films which wants to stay at the moment, and the parts is lot than sum as a whole. Sometimes it does stick to the drill and other times, the drill gets a far little stretchy. And then comes the second half, where the title gets its due credit, as the unfolding of the real intentions come to the fore. A series of murders take place, a noble cause, and unexpected revelations form the second half.

Also read: Maareesan director Sudheesh Sankar on why the film was not made in Malayalam: After Maamannan, we wanted to show Fahadh Faasil and Vadivelu differently | EXCLUSIVE

For long, Tamil cinema has been feeling a little more assertive to talk about issues that plague society, that a few films go extra mile to milk them too. Thankfully, Maareesan does not want to use the visuals to depict the horrendous nature of crime it wants to talk about. A mention, and couple of instances on the hearsay are enough to you going about the film’s nature. The predictability soon comes when things begin to catch up. But it wonderful yet again to see Vadivelu in his non-comic avatar, and all the more, when Kovai Sarala (even with her limited screen presence) gets to do the same.

Maareesan is not free of flaws. It takes time to invest into the lives of Dhyalan and Velayudham. The emotional catch is either predicted, or becomes on the face when revealed. It also goes a little roundabout way to catch the drift. It is a film that works on moments rather than cohesiveness. A film which relies on micro details rather than being a wholesome narrative. Neither is a problem nor an advantage, as the film’s slow pacing builds to become a slow-burner. It either becomes your cup of tea or straight up not, but Maareesan attempts to do something new and is humble during the process.

Maareesan movie verdict:

Vadivelu and Fahadh Faasil are two pillars hold Maareesan in a near effective slow-burn thriller. The drama holds you for a while before the thriller takes over. For a film which talks about the cause without milking it for visuals and sympathy, Maareesan is a novel attempt in writing and making. Even as some low moments linger, the film makes up with its effective making and strong performances. Maareesan charms its way and it is a charm that might not be cast for everyone, but has a certain ring to it which makes it a unique attempt.

Share